Author: pcciadmin

Enabling patients to connect to digital technology to better manage their own health

Dallas, TX –The Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation (PCCI) in collaboration with Parkland Health & Hospital System has deployed the Innovation Bridge at the Hatcher Station Health Center. Serving residents of East Dallas, Hatcher Station is one of 12 Community Oriented Primary Care centers (COPCs) operated by Parkland throughout Dallas County. Taking inspiration from the Apple Genius Bar and Ochsner Health System’s O Bar, the Innovation Bridge is designed to bridge the technology divide for patients and caregivers.

Although there are a number of mobile apps in the marketplace that claim to help patients manage a variety of different health conditions, many are not vetted by clinicians or targeted for vulnerable patients. PCCI’s Innovation Bridge was developed by Parkland and PCCI physicians in collaboration with IT experts.

“We are very excited to launch and test the impact of this innovative concept,” said Steve Miff, PhD, President and CEO, Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation. “New technology can be intimidating, so we aim to use a physical space to bridge the technology adoption gap. Linking individuals to relevant digital information is a key step towards personal activation and participation in self-management of health. We are very appreciative for the support and partnership of all our funding partners and our clinical colleagues who helped make this initiative possible.”

For those not familiar or comfortable with mobile technology available to them, the Innovation Bridge will be staffed by a bilingual Community Technology Liaison who will assist in selection and set up of the right app for each patient’s needs. The person will help guide patients to digital technologies such as MyChart that improve patient engagement, real-time access to personal clinical information, and connections to relevant community resources. An initial list of apps in the following categories has been vetted by PCCI’s team of experts: Asthma, Diabetes, Hypertension, Women’s Health (Pregnancy and Breastfeeding), Mental Health, Pediatric Milestones, Obesity Management, Fitness Tracking and Back Exercises.

“Technology continues to be an essential partner in innovative care delivery at Parkland. As the demand for our services escalates, we are focused on providing the highest possible quality of care to each patient. Innovations like mobile apps empower patients to be full partners with their physicians to assure they receive appropriate medical care and we are pleased to offer the PCCI Innovation Bridge to encourage patients to take advantage of all the resources available to them,” said Fred Cerise, MD, MPH, Parkland’s CEO.

The PCCI Innovation Bridge is located at Parkland’s Hatcher Station Clinic, 4600 Scyene Road, Dallas, 75210. For more information about Parkland, visit www.parklandhospital.com

About PCCI

PCCI is an advanced, nonprofit healthcare analytics R&D organization with a collaborative team of expert data scientists and knowledgeable healthcare professionals that go beyond analyzing a patient’s medical data to provide all-encompassing insights that are revolutionizing healthcare. PCCI is a recipient of more than $50 million in grants directed at developing and deploying patient centric cutting edge technologies connecting communities, Parkland and beyond.